“Hello world.”
The line was part of the Nike campaign, designed to coincide with Tiger Woods’ professional debut at age 20.
Woods’ opening press conference on the day before the Greater Milwaukee Open began was “I suppose, hello world, right?”
Nike’s “Hello world,” ad campaign, included a Wall Street Journal three-page spread and several televised ads within two days. Nike halted all its national TV ads, and instead aired Woods’ spot 28 times on ESPN during the first round coverage of GMO.
LeBron’s awkward utterance of “I’m taking my talents to South Beach,” nearly 14 years after the fact, is not remembered as forced or contrived. Woods’ watershed press conference, delivered by one of the 50th century’s most transcendent athletes was more charming and earnest than LeBron.
He said these words at Brown Deer Park Golf Course, located in northern Milwaukee County. Woods, who was just beginning his legendary golf career, was playing in the Greater Milwaukee Open on August 28, 1996. Milwaukee was the unexpected setting for the dawning of a new age. The event attracted an estimated 150,000 spectators. This was the highest attendance in the history of the event.
The point is that he was 60th, but it’s not the main thing
Woods was only 60th in the event but still left Loren Roberts out of his mind, despite the fact that Roberts had defeated Madison native Jerry Kelly, while Edgerton’s Steve Stricker was just one stroke behind the leaders.
Woods didn’t seriously consider turning professional until the week before the tournament. Even then, however, it was not a certainty. Woods had committed to playing the GMO in April with a sponsor’s exemption. At that time, it was widely believed that if he won either the Quad City Classic or the GMO, he could turn professional.
Tiger Woods hits a shot from the fairway at the Greater Milwaukee Open in 1996 at the Brown Deer Golf Course, Wisconsin. (Photo: J.D. Cuban/Allsport)
Then, the week before the GMO in Oregon, he won a third consecutive U.S. The week before GMO, he won the Oregon Amateur Title, coming back from five holes down to win. It became more likely that he would make it official at Milwaukee. The New York Times as well as the Los Angeles Times reported that it was indeed happening. Woods held a news conference after the pro-am on Brown Deer Park Golf Course, which was his final amateur round.
GMO suddenly found itself bracing for the media barrage it had not seen in 29 years. ESPN decided to broadcast the first two rounds. Sports Illustrated was suddenly in need of credentials for Golf Digest and People. The Los Angeles Times also needed credentials, as did the New York Times.
The overnight millionaire
Woods finished with a score of 7-under-277. He was awarded $2,544. He probably received a sponsorship check that was a bit… more.
Tiger Woods’s revelation had been anticipated for years by the golfing world. Jack Nicklaus had himself called Woods a superstar that could not be missed, and it was clear he would have a transformative presence in golf.
The child prodigy was the youngest U.S. The child prodigy became the youngest U.S. Junior Amateur champion when he was 15 years old. He won two more rounds to make sure he wasn’t left out, and then became the youngest U.S. At age 18, he became the youngest U.S. Amateur title at age 20. He won the NCAA Individual Golf Championship at Stanford, and after two years turned professional, despite his father’s wishes that Tiger Woods return to Stanford to finish the last two years.
Nike and Titleist had already lined up sponsorship contracts before he even took his first professional swing. These were the most lucrative endorsement deals golf has ever seen. (Reportedly close to $40m but later revealed closer to $60m). He went on to win Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year in 1996, and PGA Tour rookie of the year. Not to mention the 82 PGA Tour victories he achieved (tied with Jack Nicklaus for the most ever) and the fifteen major wins he has amassed. He is also 11-time PGA Tour player of the year.
Tom Strong, the executive director of GMO, made a smart move by offering Woods an exemption. Strong admitted that in 1995 he had tried to sponsor Woods for a non-major Tour event, knowing that Woods would be a major draw. However, the call to Stanford’s head coach was not returned.
Strong said, “He is not one of these shot-in the-dark guys.” He’s going to make it on the Tour one day, and he will do well. “He’s no fluke. That’s for certain.”
Woods said he had not made up his decision until the announcement was imminent. He claimed he had paid for the dinner with a gift card early in the week and that he needed his coach’s help to pay the $100 entry fee. He was officially a salesman when, late on Wednesday night, he switched his clubs from Ping to Titleist.
Woods stated, “It was not about money.” Woods said, “It wasn’t about money. It was about happiness.” It was the right time. I knew that my golf game would be good enough. The question was, “How happy am I?” “And I’m happy.”
Woods did not finish in the top three, but he did achieve a hole-in one on the 14th green during the final round.
Woods stated, “I tried punching a 6-iron into the wind and it went higher than what I wanted.” The ball struck on the green, kicked left, and I thought, “That should be close.” All of a suddenly, people began jumping up and down.
Hello, world!
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (part of the USA Today Network) published this story on April 6, 2020 as part of an article about the 50 greatest sports moments of Wisconsin.
